Embracing a Sacred Tree in the mountain mist, watching the booming blossoms of Taiwan’s largest Wusheh Cherry in spring, climbing to the top to admire the “Holy Ridgeline” of the Hsuehshan (Snow Mountain) Range, or perhaps a surprising encounter with living national treasures comprise the abundant feast of the cloud forest belt that Guanwu (Mist Gazing) National Forest Recreation Area offers at the Hsinchu-Miaoli border.
At a distance of a 2-hour drive from Zhudong, Guanwu has another name in the Atayal language, “Mogiri”, meaning “a higher mountain”. It became a logging forest station in 1940, and was operational until 1980, leaving manmade forests neatly arranged throughout the mountain. Today, the five stout Taiwan Red Cypress trees by the Kuaishan Giant Trees Trail reflect the majesty of Taiwan’s forest back in the day.
The wildlife of Guanwu is diverse. Apart from Mikado Pheasant and Formosan Muntjac that roam amidst the woods, the most peculiar species are the Impatiens devolii Huang, the one-of-a-kind flower species in the world, as well as the two national treasures endemic to Taiwan: the Broad-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly and Guanwu Formosan Salamander (which is named after the place).
The access road to the Recreation Area, Dalu Forest Road, bifurcates here. The east track leads to Dabajian Mountain, while the west track leads to Jen (Hazel) Mountain, the highest peak in the Recreation Area, taking the visitors to the captivating landscape outlined by the Holy Ridgeline of the Hsuehshan Range.